Foot Worship Chapter 17

Before the lingering sensation of the punishment had even faded, I sat up and sat on the floor. I let my head hang limply and just blinked, feeling drained. Jerome scanned my disheveled state with his eyes, then forcibly pulled my pants up and buckled them for me. I winced at the damp sensation clinging to my crotch.

“Finished.”

Jerome announced the end cleanly and stood up. I sighed and rested my head against the table.

“…Haa.”

“If you need to clean up, you can use the bathroom.”

My underwear was already soaked, so cleaning up wouldn’t change anything. It was better to just go home and wash up.

“…No, thank you.”

“Then come on, I’ll take you home.”

There was no conversation inside the car on the way home. Jerome, gripping the steering wheel, stared straight ahead with an expressionless face, while I fidgeted in my seat like a restless puppy, gauging his reaction. My lower body felt damp and uncomfortable, but I didn’t care about that at all.

How pathetic must I look, having cum after just ten spanks? If he tells me to stop here, should I beg him to at least follow through with the play we promised?

He parked in my designated spot and escorted me to the entrance of my apartment building. I waited, worried sick about what words might come out of his mouth.

“Get home safe and the play,”

“I want to do it, I really want to. I do.”

In my anxiety, I inadvertently cut him off. He narrowed his eyes and stared at me intently. Soon, his expression softened, and he let out a faint chuckle.

“You’re cute enough to die for.”

“…”

“Behave yourself, and let’s see each other on Friday.”

“…Really?”

“I hope you come with your safe word and specific motions decided, and take care of bringing your own underwear or any clothes you might need.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, and that day, I hope you come with the intention of sleeping next to me.”

I raised my head, frowning deeply at the sound of the doorbell waking me from a sound sleep. Without even opening my eyes properly, I walked to the door and opened it. Standing there was Goo Jihoon, holding two shopping bags filled with groceries. Despite the overcast weather, he had his face hidden behind sunglasses and a mask.

I just opened the door for him and trudged back to the sofa like a zombie, collapsing onto it. My stomach wasn’t doing well because of the alcohol I’d downed without a second thought the night before. Added to that was the sound of Goo Jihoon whining about me opening the door late, which made my head throb.

“Hey, aren’t you going to work?”

“Even if I wanted to, my face looks like this, so I can’t.”

Goo Jihoon placed the groceries on the kitchen island and took off his sunglasses and mask. His eye and cheek were covered in colorful bruises. I grimaced and shook my head in disbelief. They were a couple that truly didn’t know the meaning of “moderation.” I pressed my throbbing temples with my hand and covered my eyes with one arm. Between the hangover and the headache, I felt like my eyeballs were going to pop out.

“I told you not to play while drinking.”

“…What are you saying? You think the Queen is that kind of person?”

“Then why does your face look like that? Got into a fight with a drunkard, did you?”

“If it were just a drunkard, I wouldn’t feel so aggrieved. I’m like this because that crazy psychopath Kwon Raewon beat the hell out of me.”

“What? Raewon did?”

I forgot my hangover and jumped up, only to clutch my head with both hands due to a horrific headache. Ah… I’m going insane. If I ever drink again, I’m a dog. I managed to stand up and grabbed Goo Jihoon’s wrist, turning him around as he was trimming bean sprouts. Up close, the bruises were severe.

I clicked my tongue and took out an ice pack from the freezer to hold against his face. Goo Jihoon pouted and winced.

“How old are you both that you’re still fighting like children?”

Did I have ointment for bruises at home? I rummaged through the shelves looking for it, scolding him, while Goo Jihoon raised his voice as if he were the victim.

“Damn it, that crazy bastard says he’s going to the States next week!”

“…The States? Didn’t he wrap everything up there and come back? Why suddenly the States?”

“Why ask? Obviously, because Cha Hee-jae called him.”

The name Cha Hee-jae explained everything. The situation was obvious. A drunk Goo Jihoon must have been teasing him by bringing up Cha Hee-jae, and Kwon Raewon, who reacted with extreme sensitivity to anything involving Cha Hee-jae, must have thrown a punch at Goo Jihoon.

I barely managed to find the ointment in a basket on the shelf and checked the expiration date first. Fortunately, there was still time. I removed the ice pack and gently applied the ointment to the bruised areas.

“Fine. I admit I said some foolish things. But isn’t this too much?”

“You know the situation, so why poke him? Why poke him like that?”

“I’m frustrated, too! It drives me crazy seeing him acting like a martyr.”

I didn’t know the full details, but I heard that Cha Hee-jae and Kwon Raewon were play partners and that there had been an unfortunate accident between the two. Because of that accident, Cha Hee-jae had suffered a permanent disability, and Kwon Raewon had been enduring Cha Hee-jae’s abuse for years out of guilt. I understood Goo Jihoon’s feelings—as Kwon Raewon’s best friend who had witnessed everything up close—but Kwon Raewon, the party directly involved, was enduring it silently, so I felt like Goo Jihoon should have kept his distance. In this instance, Goo Jihoon had been overstepping.

“Even so, don’t get involved in Cha Hee-jae matters. Kwon Raewon has his own reasons.”

“Reasons, my ass—he’s just an idiot.”

“I don’t know. My stomach hurts so much I’m going to die.”

“Fine. Sleep it off, huh? Look at this cute puppy-cat?”

Just as I turned away, clutching my head which was throbbing from the headache, Goo Jihoon lunged at me and grabbed my thighs with both hands. Because of that, my thighs, which Jerome had punished last night, stung. I quickly shook my leg to drop Goo Jihoon and scowled. Goo Jihoon narrowed his eyes and glared at me.

“What?”

Because I had opened the door for Goo Jihoon just as I was when I woke up, I was almost fully naked, wearing only a pair of briefs. Because Goo Jihoon and I were so close, we didn’t really pay attention to our attire. Since we felt absolutely zero sexual attraction to each other even if we were butt-naked, it was even more so. It wasn’t that I felt embarrassed to be undressed, but rather it was more awkward that he had spotted the marks on me. I avoided his gaze, rubbing my messy hair with my palms.

“The person you’re interested in is Jerome, right?”

“…”

“Tell me the truth. Yes or no.”

“Yes.”

“Then this, too?”

“Yes.”

Goo Jihoon grinned and stood up. Then, as if nothing had happened, he started trimming the bean sprouts in front of the sink. It was true that our relationship was a bit ambiguous to define, but it wasn’t something I needed to hide. Meeting people and breaking up was a very natural thing, and Goo Jihoon wasn’t the kind of person who wouldn’t understand that.

“I’m going to go wash up.”

“Park Beomjin, you’ll get in trouble if you go around giving your body and heart to just anyone.”

“Whatever.”

I scratched my head in embarrassment, walked into my room, and closed the door. I leaned my back against the door and slid down. Damn him and his quick wits. I gently rubbed my throbbing temple and blinked slowly. Drowsiness began to creep in. Just then, my phone rang. I crawled over to the bed and picked it up. It was Jerome.

「Are there marks left on your thighs?」

I let out a groan and managed to pull myself up. I checked my thighs in the mirror. Maybe because I was drunk yesterday, I didn’t think much of the pain, but looking at them now, there were quite dark marks left behind. Seeing the marks made me recall the feeling of his hands kneading my buttocks last night, and heat rushed to my face. I cleared my throat and sent a reply.

「They’re marked a bit, but I’m okay.」

I took out my underwear and loungewear from the drawer to take a shower. Then, I squatted down and stared fixedly at the phone I’d left on the bed. I waited quietly for about ten minutes, but no reply came. He must be busy with work. I suppressed my disappointment, grabbed my phone, and walked into the bathroom.

As I came out after showering, I heard Goo Jihoon calling from outside. I rubbed my wet hair with a towel, took off my robe, and pulled on my pants. When I opened the door, a spicy aroma wafted in. I was hopeless at cooking, so it had been a long time since I’d smelled such food in my house.

“Eat up.”

“Smells amazing.”